Author Topic: age range here? (Read 10002 times)

Distortion · « **on:** March 06, 2003, 02:59:03 pm »

I have been browsing peoples' examples for a long time now, trying to get ideas for my own, and I can't help but notice that most people here mention having grown up on games like pac man, galaxian, donkey kong, space invaders etc....well, I grew up on final fight, battle toads, ninja turtles, those sega racing games, hang on, etc. I'm not saying that I will walk past a pac-man machine in a restaurant without playing it, but it's not one of my generation's defining video games. I'm just trying to get an idea of what the average age range is around here.

Chris · « **Reply #1 on:** March 06, 2003, 03:05:55 pm »

Well, I still have find memories of putting quarters in Pong at the local pizza parlor, and a good chunk of allowance went into Sprint 2 and Space Invaders as well...

--Chris

cuthulas · « **Reply #2 on:** March 06, 2003, 03:24:03 pm »

27 here ... and every quarter I got as a paperboy in the 7th grade went to that damn arcade behind my house. It's my parent's fault for moving there. However when we moved, I ended up playing a ton during and after my senior year in high school: Smash TV, Street Fighter, Lethal Enforcers (or anything with a gun), Cybersled, Theatre of Magic (Pinball), etc. being some of my favorites at the time. Now ... every real arcade I know of is gone. Sad ...

rock345 · « **Reply #3 on:** March 06, 2003, 03:30:19 pm »

aren't these age groups a little to broad?

Brax · « **Reply #4 on:** March 06, 2003, 03:30:35 pm »

I was too late for Space Invaders but I remember when Frogger, Scramble and Donkey Kong came into the arcade NEW.
I can actually remember when Ghosts and Goblins came in... everyone thought it was SO hard. People were still drawn to it, after a few weeks it was an arcade staple.

It's very cool that these games still have life and it's even better to have lived during those golden years of arcades. Many later games were good but they just don't have the iconic staus of those early few.

brandon · « **Reply #5 on:** March 06, 2003, 03:35:54 pm »

I'm 23 years old (well.. 23 and 3/4) and I remember sinking many a quarter into games like Double Dragon, Bad Dudes, P.O.W, Ghost and Goblins, Strider, Ninja Gaiden, Super Off-Road, TMNT... Those are the classics of my generation.. In fact, I dont think I ever saw a Pacman or Donkey Kong machine in an arcade growing up. but I played all those on my Commodore 64 for free. Despite my age though I still have a love for the real classics and they will no doubt be installed on my yet to be built MAME cab

Distortion · « **Reply #6 on:** March 06, 2003, 03:45:24 pm »

Quote from: rock345 on March 06, 2003, 03:30:19 pm

aren't these age groups a little to broad?

If you want to be more specific, feel free to reply with a more specific response.

SNAAAKE · « **Reply #7 on:** March 06, 2003, 04:07:31 pm »

i am 18..will be 19 soon.

I started playing games when i was like 7 or 8.

Best game at the time was Cadillcs and Dinosaurs by Capcom.

Also lot of cps1 games were popular at the time..how about everyone else?

Birdtales · « **Reply #8 on:** March 06, 2003, 04:24:54 pm »

I'm 42, when I was a kid we just rubbed two rocks together for fun. Really since I graduated High School in '79 there weren't many arcade games out. I played most of mine in adulthood (post 18).

P.S. I hope I don't remain the only statistic in the 40-50 range

lightspeed · « **Reply #9 on:** March 06, 2003, 05:13:11 pm »

28 here.

The first arcade experience I can remember was that when I was around 7 and used to frequent the local bowling alley (my Mom was in a day league).

I remember they had an Atari Football, BombJack, Mr. Pac Man, and my all time favorite, Gorf (I used to love hearing that thing talk).

J_K_M_A_N · « **Reply #10 on:** March 06, 2003, 05:30:30 pm »

I am 31.

We used to go camping every weekend to the same place (we had a camper sitting there all the time) and they would have between 8-10 games and they would get new ones every year. I remember playing the original breakout (which I wish I could play again) and pac man and donkey kong and Atari football (gotta get a cocktail with 2 or 4 trackballs going) and one of my favorites, Sprint 2. I also remember playing time pilot 84 and a few of the "newer" games but I was more into girls in the later years. It was fun going up for the first weekend every year to see what they got in new. Also, I hate to have to put myself in the 30-39 range. You may as well made it 30-100! Feels about the same. (Sorry birdtails)

J_K_M_A_N

Dartful Dodger · « **Reply #11 on:** March 06, 2003, 06:46:51 pm »

Quote from: J_K_M_A_N on March 06, 2003, 05:30:30 pm

I hate to have to put myself in the 30-39 range. You may as well made it 30-100! Feels about the same. (Sorry birdtails)

Phew, I thought it was just me.
I'm 33 and just seeing me grouped to 39, made me feel like 100.

I can't find any memories of putting quarters in Pong, but I remember putting lots o quarters into Lunar Lander. In fact one of the first Mame games I played was LL, I played it for three hours... although it's not the same when you have unlimited coins.

25 cents was a lot, now I can't even find the cent symbol in Window's Character Map
...wasn't it on my type writer?

Crud, I feel like 100 again.

rampy · « **Reply #12 on:** March 06, 2003, 08:34:30 pm »

I'm 26 and a half...

( I was hoping for more graduation in the poll too...)

remember pacman, donkey kong, moon cresta, galaxian.... n' stuff... played SFII and such in H.S.

*Shrug*

rampy

Distortion · « **Reply #13 on:** March 06, 2003, 08:54:31 pm »

Sorry about the broad ranges, I tried to go back and fix it, but it kept all the previous votes in the same slots. Should I start a new one?

PoDunkMoFo · « **Reply #14 on:** March 06, 2003, 09:30:20 pm »

I remember the song Pac-Man fever coming out and how it was all over the news.

I remember waiting behind the older kids(12) to play Donkey Kong at the local bowling alley and wondering if it was even possible to go past the peg level.

We had an intellivision and I remember thinking astrosmash was as good as it could get. I also remember thinking someday it may be possible to get graphics as good as tron on a home system (never happen).

Born in 1970.

By the way Birdtales you forgot to say (in your best crotchety old timer voice) We rubbed to rocks together..and we were glad to git em.

ErikRuud · « **Reply #15 on:** March 06, 2003, 10:01:46 pm »

37 now, 38 on the 29th of March.

So I am pretty much a child of the age of classic arcade games.

CitznFish · « **Reply #16 on:** March 06, 2003, 10:37:27 pm »

32..almost 33. mentally i am hovering around 16

PacManFan · « **Reply #17 on:** March 06, 2003, 11:06:37 pm »

29 and not looking forward to 30, I remember playing Galaga, ms. pacman, Pacman, Gauntlet I & II, Dragons Lairs, Space Ace, Frogger, Jungle Hunt, and lots of others around that era, I also had a Putt-Putt golf and games around my house with a lot of newer games like Indiana Jones, 720, and some boxing game where your guy was a transparent green boxer, and the controls were 2 handles. You had to swing the whole top half of the machine left and right to throw punches.

-PacManFan

jets · « **Reply #18 on:** March 07, 2003, 01:13:13 am »

I'm 26. Interesting age ranges here. I have to say this is probably the most diverse forum I frequent.

dhansen · « **Reply #19 on:** March 07, 2003, 01:24:00 am »

I'm 39 and my mom cut holes in our pockets so we'd have something to playwith!

My earliest video game memory was Pong that showed up at a local Shakeys Pizza joint when I was growing up. My brother used to own a bar and I remember shuting his Space Invaders game on and off again really fast until the thing freaked out and gave me a ton of extra credits. He also had Pac Man and Donkey Kong when they first came out, I memorized the Pac Man pattern out of a Playboy magazine and used to play the thing till I got sick of it. I blame Donkey Kong for making me drop out of college!

Where I grew up we had a place called The Land of Oz at the mall and later (around 1981) another place in campus town called Dark Star. I remember playing Track and Field, Tempest, Wizard of Wor, and Makin' Trax. The place was a multi-level place all decked out with black lights and glossy lipped chicks with feathered hair....and tight Britainia jeans...uh... nevermind...

Doug

SNAAAKE · « **Reply #20 on:** March 07, 2003, 01:31:08 am »

Quote from: dhansen on March 07, 2003, 01:24:00 am

I'm 39 and my mom cut holes in our pockets so we'd have something to playwith!

No wonder why you actually have 3 machines
I kept wondring WTF ? ?this guy actually have 3 arcades..

I mean my family members are already very pi$$ed off with just 1 cabinet..maybe I should just move out so i could have a 33" show case cabinet and a driving game cabinet(most consoles have very good driving games so I would use consoles and mame)..

Maybe in another 5 years..

Generic Eric · « **Reply #21 on:** March 07, 2003, 02:59:23 am »

I will be 26 in august

gajaman · « **Reply #22 on:** March 07, 2003, 03:00:37 am »

I'm 30 going on 12. Defender, Space Invaders, Gorf, Missile Command and Pacman were my first staples as these were the cabs at the place I went on holiday every year.

After that it was Outrun, Rampage, Supersprint, Speed Rumbler and Gauntlet, these were at the place we went on holiday every year after the first place closed (I wonder what they did with their Defender...)

u_rebelscum · « **Reply #23 on:** March 07, 2003, 03:22:14 am »

29 for another 5 months.

Dak-ak · « **Reply #24 on:** March 07, 2003, 04:34:44 am »

yeah, im pretty sure the first arcade game i really got into was a simpsons cab at our one and only arcade.. lasted about 4 monthes...

luckily, mame will let me go back and catch up on all you guys :-)

theblt · « **Reply #25 on:** March 07, 2003, 07:23:55 am »

wow, i must be the youngest one here. I'm 15. Well, 15 1/2 if that really matters.

RoadhawK · « **Reply #26 on:** March 07, 2003, 10:54:59 am »

Heh, i'm 37 but still feel like a teenager, once in a while

When i was at school the computers we had were ZX80's and Beeb micros. Incredible the power difference in just 20 odd years.

At first i was surprised to see a lot of mid thirties here, but as someone else said, mid thirties now puts us slap bang in the middle of the Invaders, Pac-man, Defender boom which i remember as if it were yesterday.

Also it's great seeing so many young 'uns enjoying these retro games as much as anyone, and building their own cabs as well!.

Auntie MAME · « **Reply #27 on:** March 07, 2003, 12:17:23 pm »

I'm 43. My 13 year old son describes me best, 'a kid with money.' I was playing Asteriods and Space Invaders in college.

SirPoonga · « **Reply #28 on:** March 07, 2003, 03:15:37 pm »

ok, who's the 50+??? hehe

1 month from being 25.

DeathMonk · « **Reply #29 on:** March 07, 2003, 03:30:58 pm »

22 almost 23.. First games I got into were, of course, the nintendo arcade games, then Street Fighter 1. I wasn't an arcade junky until Street Fighter II and Mortal Kombat. Ah, those were the days.

DeathMonk · « **Reply #30 on:** March 07, 2003, 03:34:24 pm »

Quote from: dhansen on March 07, 2003, 01:24:00 am

I'm 39 and my mom cut holes in our pockets so we'd have something to playwith!

ROFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

TazMan · « **Reply #31 on:** March 07, 2003, 04:14:09 pm »

35 here.

I remember Space Invaders and Asteroids being at the local Roller Rink that everyone went to on Friday nights - quit skating and just played video games. Then, convincing my parents that Goodtime Pizza (Canton, OH) was my favorite pizza in the "whole world" (yuck); and it had nothing to do with the arcade they had

btw - Birdtales, you forgot that you had to walk up hill to get those rocks in three feet of snow

slug54 · « **Reply #32 on:** March 07, 2003, 05:16:50 pm »

36 here,

I remember space Invaders and Night Driver in an arcade full of pinball machines. 2 years later it was a couple of pinball machines in a room full of video games.

Slug54

Pixelhugger · « **Reply #33 on:** March 07, 2003, 06:32:52 pm »

33. Just had my first child and she'll be building a cabinet as soon as she can reach the tablesaw. I'm guessing most cabinet/control builders are late 20's to early 30's since that puts them in an age range to have been getting a decent allowance when arcades were actually commonplace.

Arcade favorites... Lunar Lander, Gorf, Donkey Kong, Galaxian, Joust, Aladin, Dragon's Lair, etc but never did like having to hit a reverse button on Defender so that one never appealed to me like it should have. (No, I can't in fact walk and chew gum at the same time).

At home... started with Pong, brief interludes with the game "Snake" on a Pet 4K anyone remember THAT??, then 2600, then ColecoVision then during the "videogame crash" picked up a 5200 and Vectrex for super cheap. Then nothing until my N64 and now an XBOX which I am currently intending to hack the sweet bejeezus out of to put it in my cabinet project.

Birdtales · « **Reply #34 on:** March 07, 2003, 07:07:08 pm »

Quote

btw - Birdtales, you forgot that you had to walk up hill to get those rocks in three feet of snow

Barefoot cause Momma couldn't afford shoes for all 10 of us.

SNAAAKE · « **Reply #35 on:** March 07, 2003, 10:47:37 pm »

Quote from: theblt on March 07, 2003, 07:23:55 am

wow, i must be the youngest one here. I'm 15. Well, 15 1/2 if that really matters.

It doesnt matter dude

I actually started building joysticks when i was like 15..yes i knew about arcadecontrols.com and visited but never been in the old forum.

Thats when dreamcast was "NEW".

But I am guessing you are having funds problem right?
MUST...GET...A...JOB

$:-\$ .
I know how it goes,try to find a job maybe...

spidermonkey · « **Reply #36 on:** March 08, 2003, 01:35:25 pm »

I'm 33 until next month.

I remember waiting behind two teenagers to play Crazy Climber and made the big mistake of placing my quarter on the machine to reserve the next game. They said thanks for the donation and told me to get lost.

. What was I thinking ? One 10 or 11 year old against two teenagers. Also remember my mom yanking me away from an Astro Invader machine when I still had 1 ship left.

. Ahh the memories. Probably two of many reasons I built a Mame cab. Finally over two decades later I have the last laugh. Good or bad they are all memories that I'll never forget.

Marky · « **Reply #37 on:** March 08, 2003, 04:14:53 pm »

Quote from: theblt on March 07, 2003, 07:23:55 am

wow, i must be the youngest one here. I'm 15. Well, 15 1/2 if that really matters.

Nope your not the youngest... 14 going on 15 april 4th.

rock345 · « **Reply #38 on:** March 08, 2003, 05:17:02 pm »

I'm 21 for a more detailed response. Wish i was older and graduated from college. Maybe then i'd have a job and money to spend on my machine.

rampy · « **Reply #39 on:** March 08, 2003, 08:02:03 pm »

Quote from: rock345 on March 08, 2003, 05:17:02 pm

I'm 21 for a more detailed response. Wish i was older and graduated from college. Maybe then i'd have a job and money to spend on my machine.

How young and naive you are rock345... (and i dont' mean that in a mean way)... stay in college... never leave... the money you make with a real job does not make up for the additional responsibility. Trust me on this... be cool, stay in school =P

You cut work for a week straight and then just cramm for a mid term/final and still do ok =P

rampy

ps I think I related just a little too much to that "old school" movie with wil ferrell


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How old are you?

Author Topic: age range here? (Read 10002 times)